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Mike Tyson
Michael Gerard "Mike" Tyson (born June 30, 1966) is a retired American boxer. He was the undisputed heavyweight champion and remains the youngest man ever to win the WBC, WBA and IBF world heavyweight titles. He won the WBC title at just 20 years, 4 months and 22 days old, after defeating Trevor Berbick by a TKO in the second round. Throughout his career, Tyson became well-known for his ferocious and intimidating boxing style as well as his controversial behavior both inside and outside the ring. Nicknamed "Kid Dynamite", "Iron Mike",and "The Baddest Man on the Planet" Tyson won his first 19 professional bouts by knockout, 12 in the first round. He unified the belts in the splintered heavyweight division in the late 1980s to become undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. Tyson lost his title when he lost to 42-to-1 underdog James "Buster" Douglas in February 11, 1990, in Tokyo, by a KO in round 10. His all-time record is 50-6. He lost the last two fights of his career. n 1992, Tyson was convicted of raping Desiree Washington and sentenced to six years in prison but was released after serving three years. After his release, he engaged in a series of comeback fights. In 1996, he won the WBC and WBA titles after defeating Frank Bruno and Bruce Seldon by knockout. After being stripped of the WBC title, Tyson lost his WBA crown to Evander Holyfield in November 1996 by an 11th round TKO. Their 1997 rematch ended when Tyson was disqualified for biting off part of Holyfield's ear. In 2002, Tyson fought for the world heavyweight title at the age of 35, losing by knockout to Lennox Lewis He retired from professional boxing in 2006 after being knocked out in consecutive matches against Danny Williams and Kevin McBride. Tyson declared bankruptcy in 2003, despite having received over US$30 million for several of his fights and $300 million during his career. Throughout his career, Tyson became well known for his ferocious and intimidating boxing style as well as his controversial behavior both inside and outside the ring. Tyson is considered one of the best heavyweights of all time. He was ranked No. 16 on The Rings list of 100 greatest punchers of all time. Biography Early Life Tyson grew up fatherless and with a mother who was less than diligent in her child raising. Allowed to rampage on the mean streets of Brooklyn, Tyson found trouble quickly. Bullied for his crummy clothes and awkward demeanor, Tyson soon found he could resolve problems with his fists. A city worker who tried to disassemble his pigeon coup was left for dead by a young Tyson. By the time he hit double-digits in age, he was already knocking out grown men on the streets. He fell into disfavor with the law and was sent to various juvenile facilities. Eventually, he was brought to legendary trainer Cus D’Amato, who immediately pegged him as future champion. At 13, Tyson was already a heavily muscled 200 pounds and a prodigious puncher. D’Amato adopted Tyson and brought him into his home. Tyson tore off the heads of all his opponents. No one his age could compete with the young dynamo. Amateur Career He moved up the amateur ranks, eventually losing out on a spot for the 1984 Olympics. Everyone knew Tyson’s future lied in the pro ranks, where his ferocity and strength would play greater factors. At 18, he began a campaign of destruction that is rarely seen in the game. By 19, observers were already hailing him as the next great champion. Short at 5’11,” he bobbed and weaved rapidly, jabbed his way in, and ripped bone-crushing blows to the head and body in combination with both hands. He was lightning-quick and difficult to hit. He didn’t merely knock his opponents out. He removed them from the consciousness of the Earth. He simply pulverized them. Naturally, Tyson created an international stir. Professional Career Barely 20, Tyson turned Trevor Berbick into jelly to win the WBC Heavyweight Title. A 2nd-round Tyson shot felled Berbick—who dramatically attempted to rise repeatedly only to tumble back to the canvas. Tyson continued his dominance as the quality of his opposition increased. He unified the belts with wins over Bonecrusher Smith and Tony Tucker, while annihilating good fighters like Pinklon Thomas, an aging Larry Holmes, and gold medallist Tyrell Biggs. These triumphs set him up for a megafight with Linear Heavyweight Champion Michael Spinks, whom many still considered to be the “real” champion. Tyson ended that argument emphatically with a 91-second knockout that ranks among the most vicious and one-sided victories ever for a fight contested between 2 great fighters. It was Tyson’s hallmark victory. He continued his dominance, but it soon became clear that Tyson was fraying at the edges. He soon separated himself from his old camp in what was perceived as an egregious breach of loyalty. His marriage to Robin Givens was unraveling and we began hearing bad stories about the Heavyweight Champion of the World. By the time he climbed into a Tokyo ring against Buster Douglas, he was a shell of his former self. Dying stardom Despite indications to the contrary, Tyson’s star was still shining bright as the 80’s ended. His video game, Mike Tyson’s Punch Out, was a huge success. He was on commercials. His name rang. During this short period in time, he was perhaps the biggest celebrity in the world. Nevertheless, the lack of focus, arrogance, and self-destructive tendencies began to rear their head to reveal a troubled young man. No one except Buster Douglas and a few of his handlers gave the talented-but-underachieving heavyweight much of a chance. Tyson only trained a few weeks anticipating another quickie knockout. A 42-1 underdog, Douglas boxed as well as he ever did before, slamming Tyson with combinations from the first round. It took several rounds before people could even compute what they were watching—Mike Tyson being dominated. Tyson came back to floor Douglas in the 8th, but the resilient and inspired Douglas (whose mother had just passed) got off the deck and picked up where he left off. When Douglas finished Tyson in the 10th, Iron Mike was a thoroughly beaten and battered man. It is considered to be the greatest upset in boxing history. Stripped of his invincibility, Tyson lost his greatest asset: his intimidation factor. Douglas provided the blueprint for boxers to follow. If you could soldier through some early punishment and remain resolute, Tyson would begin to gradually lose his effectiveness with each passing round. Nevertheless, Tyson still had his power. He rallied from the Douglas loss and got back on the winning track. Tyson was scheduled to fight new champion Evander Holyfield when everything came undone. Rape conviction A rape conviction sent Tyson to prison for 3 years. The fall from grace appeared to be complete. To go from one of the top celebrities in the world to a prisoner in a few years was an almost unprecedented tumble from the top. Out of boxing action for 4 years, he returned in 1995. Still in his twenties, many held out hope that he would get his title back. Things seemed to be on track, as he bombed out four comeback opponents and won a few alphabet belts. Tyson vs. Holyfield Tyson was a big favorite against an aging Evander Holyfield in their November 1996 bout. Holyfield had shown signs of decay in losing by knockout to Riddick Bowe and people actually feared for his safety. Therefore, it was surprising when Holyfield walked right through the best punches Tyson could throw and returned fire with the passion and fury of a prime fighting force. It wasn’t even close. In the 11th round, Tyson was saved from further punishment. The rematch was another black eye on the career of the man many thought would become the best ever. In the third round, it appeared Holyfield was still Tyson’s master. Tyson then inexplicably bit Holyfield’s ear. He appeared to get away with it before doing it again, this time tearing off a significant chunk of his ear. He was disqualified and suspended, but furthermore, had managed to turn himself into some kind of bizarre freak show. It might go down as the most surreal thing to happen in a major sporting event. End of Career and Retirement Tyson returned 18 months later and began racking up victories again. While more of a curiosity act, there were many of those who still fancied Tyson as a serious heavyweight. By 2002, he had done well enough to justify a title try against champion Lennox Lewis. Tyson never had a chance and was brutalized for 8 rounds before Lewis applied the coup de grace. Tyson, in an overlooked part of his overall merit, absorbed a tremendous pounding before falling. Even when he lost, it took an awful lot to finally crumble him. Tyson returned for a trio of fights over more than a 3-year period, dropping his last two bouts to the inglorious duo of Danny Williams and Kevin McBride before finally hanging them up in 2005.Predictably, Tyson’s retirement has seen its share of problems. He developed a cocaine problem that eventually led to an arrest. He struggled financially—a startling fact in light of his career earnings. At one point, Tyson was apparently broke and relying on gifts from well-meaning friends. Then something quite remarkable happened. Since his arrest, he has cleaned up his act. A documentary about his life created interest and he even appeared in the smash-hit movie “The Hangover.” When you see him now, he almost conveys the image of the wise former bad boy who has gained a better understanding of life. Tragedy struck the Tyson household when in May of 2009, his 4-year old daughter Exodus was found unconscious, hanging from a dangling treadmill cord. She later passed away. Tyson has struggled with this unspeakable loss. At the same time, he has lately been giving people a chance to see him in a different light, while more importantly, giving his life some order and balance. Record and Statistics Statistics Name: Mike Tyson Nationality: American Nicknames: Iron Mike Weight: Heavyweight Height: 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) Stance: Orthodox Boxing Record Fights: 58 Wins: 50 Wins by KO: 44 Losses: 6 Draws: 0 No contests: 2 See Also *Magazine covers - A collection of magazines featuring Mike Tyson. Category:American boxers Category:Heavyweight boxing champions Category:Heavyweight boxers Category:Boxers from the State of New York Category:Boxers from Brooklyn Category:1966 births